


Pokemon Scenarios: Johto Edition

by PukingPlatitudes



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Gold & Silver & Crystal | Pokemon Gold Silver Crystal Versions
Genre: F/F, F/M, Imagines, Reader Insert, Scenarios, x Reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-05-07 11:17:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5454674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PukingPlatitudes/pseuds/PukingPlatitudes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You've managed to catch the eye of your favorite trainer from the Johto region! But what exactly is that going to be like? (Includes player characters, rivals, gym leaders, the elite four, and villains!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How You Met

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!  
> First off, thanks for clicking. I hope you enjoy the scenarios!  
> Second off, I've tried to include as many characters as possible, but if I missed your favorite just let me know!  
> Also, if you don't see the character you're looking for here, they might be included in the scenarios I've written for a different region, so don't forget to check there too!

  
【 **Ethan** 】

If somebody were to have described you as "frantic", it's safe to say that would have been an understatement.

You were wandering in the Ilex Forest when your (favorite Pokemon) got poisoned by an Oddish. Normally, that wouldn't have been an issue. Just a quick dose of antidote would have done the trick, and you could have been on your way. But somewhere along the line you had run out of antidote, and things were looking grim. Your Pokemon was weary, and hardly able to move on its own.

You were asking every trainer nearby if they had an antidote they could spare, because there was no way you were going to be able to make it to the next Pokemon center without your Pokemon fainting - or worse.

It was nothing short of a miracle when a dark haired boy walked by, and overheard your desperate pleas to every single person within earshot. "What happened? Is everything okay?" He asked, though he already knew the answer to his second question. Things  _clearly_  weren't okay, but it was a habit to ask nonetheless.

""(Pokemon's name) is poisoned. Bad," You replied, sitting down beside your Pokemon. Your voice was trembling, and talking was becoming quite the challenge. But you couldn't let yourself cry. There were more important things to be doing than crying.

"Okay..." He knelt next to you, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "It's going to be okay. Do you need an antidote?"

You nodded. "Please... I...  _We_... would appreciate that..."

"Alright." His voice was soothing - like a lullaby, calming your nerves while he rummaged in his bag. Within seconds he pulled out not just an antidote, but a full restore. "This might sting a little bit." He said to your Pokemon, in the same gentle tone. He sprayed it on your Pokemon's wounds. "There. You'll be feeling better before you know it."

"Thank you." You managed, somehow keeping your voice from breaking. "Seriously, you have no idea..."

"You're welcome. The next town isn't too far from here. I've gotta get going, but hopefully I'll see you there."

 

**【 Kris】**

Every Pokemon trainer has their favorite places to go and explore. Some choose dense forests, others choose the vast expanses of the sea, and others choose to bring their search for Pokemon up to the peaks of mountains. You? You were quite happy in the Safari Zone - where your chances of dying were notably less significant. Of course you'd adventure elsewhere, but when you didn't feel like stressing out, the Safari Zone was your location of choice.

You first met the blue haired girl known as Kris when you went to throw mud at a Nosepass. You had known since childhood that your aim wasn't always "perfect" but you had higher expectations for yourself than missing a giant sentient nose rock. In fact, that would have seemed pretty unlikely to you, but through some humiliating twist of fate it happened, sending the Nosepass hobbling away as fast as its stubby little legs could take it. However, that issue paled in comparison to the fact that you had just accidentally pelted a poor girl with mud. 

"I am so sorry!" You exclaimed, rushing over to her. "I honestly didn't mean to. There was a Nosepass and I guess they're either surprisingly agile and good at dodging or my aim is really horrible but either way I-"

Your apology was cut short by the sound of the girl's laughter. "It's okay! Really! It's just mud." She turned to face you, and you saw her dark blue eyes sparkling as she giggled. "If I couldn't handle a little mud, I don't think I'd be in here."

"You never know." You replied with a shrug. 

"Very good point." She conceded. "Either way, I'm going to go rise this mud out of my hair before it dries. It was nice meeting you, though. Even under these uh..."

"Circumstances?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I'm Kris, by the way."

"(Y/N)..."

 

**【 Lyra】**

You weren't exactly a fan of the Pokeathelon. It wasn't that you  _hated_  it, it was just that in comparison to battles it seemed incredibly, well... dull.

Your friend however, was way too enthusiastic about it. Therefore, it had become your sworn duty to show up to the Pokeathelon Dome every Saturday evening to watch her compete. Was it painfully boring? Yes. Was there a redeeming factor? Sort of. It made your friend happy, but that was the only real positive you could find to it.

Fortunately for you, your weekly suffering had just ended and you were on your way to congratulate her friend on her second place win. But on your way over to her, you noticed somebody new - a girl who you recognized from somewhere, but weren't able to place. "Hey, (y/n)!" Your friend shouted, urging you to get over to her quicker. "I want you to meet someone!"

Sighing, you made it a point to walk ever-so-slightly quicker.

When you got over to the two of them, you were almost concerned for your friend and how giddy she was. 

"Okay, (Y/N)! I'd like you to meet Lyra, You know... Like... The  _Champion_ , Lyra!" 

Suddenly your friend's excessive excitement was making a lot more sense. "Hey! I'm -"

"(Y/N)?" Lyra giggled. "I heard. Like five times actually." 

"Oh. Yeah, I uh... Probably should have realized that." You chuckled sheepishly. "It's really cool to meet you by the way."

"It's really not-"

"Lyra! Lyra, can we get a picture with you!" A group of fans nearby shouted, effectively ending any potential conversation between the two of you.

"I should probably take care of this. But your friend said you guys are here every Saturday so... Maybe I'll see you next week?"

The hopeful smile on her face nearly mirrored your own.

 

**【 Silver】**

You weren't the sort of person to tolerate people being assholes to you.

That was just a fact of life.

So when you were walking down an isle of the Poke Mart with your arms full of groceries, and a red haired boy bumped into you causing you to drop everything you were holding, it was going to be hard enough for you to be civil. When he followed that up by saying "watch where you're going", it became all out war. 

"I'm sorry, what? Watch where  _I'm_  going?" You spat, stepping over the heap of antidotes and potions at your feet.

"That's what I said, wasn't it? Watch. Where. You're. Going." He replied. a smug smirk slowly working its way onto his lips.

"You know, I've got a better idea! How about you take that ego of yours, and shove it up your ass." Definitely not the greatest comeback - but when you're about three seconds from trying to choke someone, wit usually doesn't take priority.

"Excuse me -" You heard another man's voice, but you couldn't bring yourself to care.

"Oh, wow. That was a good one." The boy said in reply to you, also disregarding the man who attempted to butt in. "So are you as bad at battling as you are at insults?"

"Yeah, right, because that was  _so_  much more creative. I'm glad you've managed to enlighten me -"

" _ **Excuse me.**_ " The man's voice was much more stern this time, causing both of you to look at him. To your dismay, he was wearing a Poke Mart uniform, which could only mean one thing. "I'm going to have to ask both of you to leave. You're disturbing our other patrons."

"Way ahead of you." The boy hissed, before storming out of the building.

_What a dick..._

 

**【 Professor Elm】**

"Delivery!" You shouted, stepping through the doors of  the New Bark Town Pokemon Lab, with a small herd of  Eevees in tow. "Delivery! For Professor Elm!"

"Huh? Oh! I'm over here!" A man replied. It took you a second to figure out where his voice was coming from, but you soon realized he was towards the back of the lab. You approached the source - finding a rather lanky man on his hands and knees, half under his desk. "Don't mind me. I just misplaced my glasses." He explained sheepishly. 

_This was the man Professor Oak had called an "expert on evolution"?_ You had to admit, you were having your doubts. Which were only amplified when you looked at his desk and saw his glasses sitting there unscathed. "Is there any chance they could be  _on_  your desk?" 

"I think I already checked there... I think..." He muttered, continuing to look around aimlessly on the floor.

"You might wanna check again." There was no way you could hide the smirk slowly forming on your face.

He sighed. "They're up there aren't they?"

"Yep." You giggled as he stood up and grabbed the glasses. He promptly put them on, then turned to face you.

"That probably wasn't the best first impression... You're (Y/N), right? With the delivery from from Professor Oak?"

"Excellent observation." You said with a playful smirk. "What gave it away?"

"Call it a lucky guess." He chuckled, noticing the Eevees running around your feet. "They sure look happy."

"They're always happy. Or mildly delusional. I really can't tell anymore... Seriously, they've been like this nonstop the entire trip here." They  _were_  pretty cute, and did seem really happy, but their near-constant state of delight had made sleeping or getting any work done fairly impossible. But you didn't really mind.

"That's good! See, with the experiment I'm working on, I'm going to be looking into the different effects and catalysts for evolution, and Eevees are perfect for that! Even better, some evolve when they're happy, but I'm sure you already know this." A faint pink spread to his cheeks when he caught himself. It was actually pretty adorable you had to admit. "But I'm sure you don't want to hear my rambling. I'll let you get back to the rest of your day."

You didn't really want to leave, but you didn't want to spend your whole day bothering the poor man. So you took that as your cue to head out.

 

**【 Falkner】**

Sprout Tower.

_Fucking. Sprout. Tower._

You were told you'd have to complete the challenge there before you would be prepared to take on the Violet City Gym. It didn't sound like it was going to be difficult, and surprisingly it wasn't. Everything was going absolutely great, right up until your (fave Pokemon) accidentally caused one of the sages to fall down the gap between the floor and the central pillar of the building. The sage was okay... Well, mostly. He had a few broken bones, but for the most part he was intact and able to function. No real long term damage was done.

But  _apparently_  that little accident was enough to get you kicked out of the tower, and as far as the other sages were concerned there was absolutely no way they would ever let you back in. 

You assumed that the Gym Guide would make an exception for you to go and battle Falkner without completing the tower due to the obvious issues with getting that done. But he was absolutely refusing to budge. 

"Please, I already told you, I  _can't_  complete the tower!" You pleaded, trying to ignore the tears welling up in your eyes. You didn't want to come off as weak, or too emotional, but you  _needed_  to get this gym badge. 

"I'm sorry, but I'm not the one who made the policy. I'm just the one who has to enforce it." The Gym Guide explained. His voice did sound sincere, but that didn't mean you weren't upset with him. "I wish that I could -"

"Is everything okay over here?" A boy asked. It was Falkner, you quickly realized. This was the perfect opportunity for you to explain your situation.

"So, this guy says I need to complete Sprout Tower before I'm allowed to challenge you." You said, making it a point to sound as calm and rational as possible. "However, due to a mishap, I'm not allowed in there anymore."

"I've heard." He chuckled slightly.

You shot him a joking glare before continuing. "The issue is, that means I can't challenge you at all. And I  _need_  to."

Falkner paused for a moment, his expression pensive. "You know what? Wait right here. I'm going to go call my dad and ask about this. I'll see what I can do about getting you in."

 

**【 Bugsy】**

You were a brave, strong, competent trainer... But there were some things that you absolutely refused to do. Riding fake Spinaraks over rickety wooden planks covered in webs over gaping holes in the floor? That was the epitome of things you were never going to put up with for a gym badge. You could respect the aesthetic choice - it did  _look_  pretty cool - but you didn't have a death wish. And even if you did, you figured there were much better ways to go than  _that_.

Your staunch refusal had caught the attention of the gym leader, Bugsy, pretty quickly. Most trainers were more than willing to go ahead and traverse his gym, even if they were terrified. Clearly, you weren't most trainers, because your priorities weren't that ridiculously skewed. 

"You realize this is insane, right?!" You shouted to the purple haired boy the minute you saw him approach the other side of the gap in the floor. "Why did you ever think this should even be a thing?!"

"I promise, it's totally safe! I understand it doesn't look like it, but it is!" He explained. "Hundreds of trainers have passed through here and everything has gone fine!"

"Yeah?! Well statistically speaking, it's gonna fail one day! And I'm not going to be the person who's on it when it does!"

"You survived Falkner's gym though, right?! That must have been scary too!"

His reasoning made sense, but it wasn't going to make you budge. "Okay, I admit, that whole balancing act was horrible, but it wasn't this! I'm kind of convinced that you gym leaders are trying to get people killed!" 

This comment earned a giggle from him - one you could hardly hear from your distance from him - but a giggle nonetheless. "Fair enough! What would make this easier for you?!"

"Uh... Less dangerous heights?! More stable platforms?! Fewer webs everywhere?! The list can go on for a while!"

"I don't think I can do that!" Bugsy replied, his laugh now fully audible. "I have an idea though!"

"Is there a higher chance of me  _not_  dying?!"

"Yes! There is, don't worry!"

"Okay, then shoot!"

"Just meet me outside after the gym closes, and we can battle there!"

You didn't even have to think that over.  _Anything_  would be better than your current situation. " _ **Deal!**_ "

 

**【 Whitney】**

Travelling is always fun. There's no doubt about that.

But when you're stuck travelling an entire region on foot, it's pretty hard to keep your belongings in very good shape. Which meant that you found yourself going shopping for clothes, bags, and things of the sort far more often than you would want to. Even if you  _enjoyed_  shopping before, it was starting to feel like a massive chore. Picking out new shoes is fun when you want a pair, not when you need to because the soles of your only pair of shoes are both being held on by duct tape.

So there you were, in the Goldenrod Department Store, with your shoes completely falling apart, and the strap of your bag held together with safety pins. Admittedly, it wasn't your finest moment. If it were up to you, nobody would have seen you like that. That was the absolute last way you would ever want to make a first impression on somebody.

Naturally, that was also the day you found yourself in the same isle as the gym leader Whitney. Because life always has a way of fucking people over.

The two of you began talking when you were trying on a pair of shoes. 

"I like those shoes!" She said with a grin. 

"Thanks!" You replied.  _Quick. Return a compliment. Think of something._  "I uh... I like your hair." 

You were way too pleased with yourself for not screwing that one up. 

"Really? Thank you!" The way her eyes lit up brought a smile to your face. "I'm Whitney, by the way. The gym leader at Goldenrod Gym."

"I thought you looked familiar." Okay, you already knew who she was, but you weren't going to make her feel awkward by pointing that out. "I'm (y/n)."

"Hm... Your name suits you." She quickly deduced. 

"You think so?"

"Yeah, it's cute a-" Her face was rapidly turning crimson. Like that wasn't supposed to slip out, but it did anyway. She looked absolutely mortified, and you almost wanted to just hug her on the spot. "I uh... I think my break is over... I gotta get back to the gym." 

 

**【 Morty】**

You had heard from plenty of people that Bellchime Trail was beautiful, but you hadn't had a chance to see it yourself. You had been meaning to, but without fail every time you meant to go something came up. It had gotten to the point where you nearly gave up hope of ever getting to see it in person.

But one morning, you noticed something was different. You didn't have any plans for the day. There were no last minute phone calls or panicked texts begging you for your help. Instead, everything was still. Everything was calm. Everything was  _perfect_.

It was finally your opportunity to go there. 

You got ready for the day in what could be considered record time (for you at least) and hopped on the back of (Pokemon that knows fly), and instantly headed off towards Bellchime trail.

It was just as gorgeous in person, with this strange mystical feeling to it that you had never experienced before in your life. 

You were walking along the path, when you saw a man heading towards you, coming back from Bell Tower. "Hello. Haven't seen you around here before." He mentioned.

"It's my first time visiting." You replied, finding your gaze slowly being drawn from the beautiful surroundings to this strange man.

"What do you think of it?"

There were so many words you wanted to use to describe it. But it seemed like none could do it justice. Especially not when the only thing you  _actually_  managed to say was "It's... It's beautiful."

"Isn't it?" The smile on his face was gentle, and sincere. "I like to come here sometimes before I go to the gym, and after, a lot of the time. It really helps me relax..." A look of realization was dawning on his face. "Speaking of the gym, I  _think_  I'm running late."

It suddenly hit you - he was the gym leader.  _How the hell did I miss that?!_  Honestly, you had no idea.

"I'm Morty, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm (Y/N)."

"It's nice to meet you too... Hopefully I'll see you around sometime... I'm here every Tuesday so..." He shrugged slightly, before giving you another smile and continuing his walk to the gym.

 

**【 Chuck】**

The first thing you learned about Chuck was that he had a wife.

The second thing you learned about Chuck was that he wasn't the greatest husband.

The third thing you learned?

That you really couldn't blame him.

His wife really did seem like a sweet woman. You couldn't deny that. But it was very clear that his priorities didn't revolve around romance or family life. He wanted to battle, and train, and you could understand that much better than you could understand his wife standing outside the gym looking forlorn.

When you spoke to her on your way into the gym, she had mentioned that he spent all of his time working at becoming a stronger trainer, or helping his students with their skills. It was clear she was tired of that, and you could sympathize with her - until you actually  _met_  Chuck.

He was sitting under a roaring waterfall - or at least  _was_  right up until you stopped it. 

"Hey! You just interrupted my training!" He shouted as you approached him, causing you to freeze in your tracks.  _Did I do something wrong?_  You asked yourself, but your fears were relieved when you heard a hearty laugh. "You wanna battle me, right? Come on, let's see what you've got!"

Thus the battle began.

The battle which didn't take too long to end.

Somehow, you managed to win.

His now familiar laugh rung out in the gym once more. "How about that?!" He recalled his fainted Pokemon before walking over to you. "You're really something, you know that? Here. Here's the Storm Badge." 

"Thanks!" You grinned, taking the badge and putting it with your others. "That was a great battle."

"It really was! Hey, if you ever want a rematch, feel free to give me a call!" 

He registered his number in your Pokegear, and you left - but not before his wife was kind enough to give you the HM for fly.

 

**【 Jasmine】**

The next gym leader that you had to face was Jasmine, of Olivine Gym. In theory, that wouldn't have been an issue. You felt you were strong enough, and you knew that your team was capable enough against steel types at that point. The only issue was that the gym leader was in Glitter Lighthouse for reasons you didn't know. What you  _did_  know, was that the Gym Guide standing outside the gym told you that if you wanted to battle her, you'd have to go hunt her down yourself.

And that's just what you did.

You found her at the top of the lighthouse with a sickly looking Ampharos laying at her side.

Your initial plan was to challenge Jasmine - but after seeing the ill Pokemon you nearly completely forgot about your original goals. "Hm? Oh... Hello." Jasmine said - her voice sweet, yet timid.

"Hey... Uh, can I ask what's wrong?" You approached the pair, kneeling down by the Ampharos.

"This Pokemon... Amphy... Keeps the lighthouse lit every night... But now it's gasping for air and..." She sighed, stroking the Pokemon's ears. "I've heard there's a pharmacy in Cianwood that might have something to help but... I can't leave Amphy unattended."

You felt this weight tugging on your heart - like a strange mix of obligation and guilt. You weren't  _really_  obligated to help out, but you were the only other person around. Clearly nobody else was going to do anything, and you refused to just let this Pokemon die. "I can go get some!" You blurted. Okay, so maybe shouting it wasn't part of your initial plan, but at least you seemed somewhat eager... Or, maybe a little  _too_ eager but it was better than nothing.

"Would you?" Her amber eyes lit up at your words. "I would be so thankful. And I know Amphy would too."

"Sure. Just... hang in there Amphy." You whispered, gently scratching the Pokemon's chin. 

You could swear, as you were leaving, Jasmine's eyes were following you. And when you left, and you looked back, you could have sworn you saw a small smile forming on her face.

 

**【 Pryce】**

You had heard stories about a red Gyarados in the Lake of Rage, and that's what piqued your interest enough to bring you there.

You sitting on a rock in the lake, quite a bit away from the banks, staring out over the expansive lake. Whether or not there was actually the fabled red Gyarados residing there, it was still an incredibly place to be. The scenery was beautiful, and despite "rage" being in the place's name, it was actually quite serene. With your Pokemon splashing around in the water beside you and the sun warm on your face, you were the most relaxed you had been in quite a long time.

Unfortunately, that made you pretty easy to catch off guard.

When a Walrein decided to jump onto a rock beside you, and greet you with a loud cry, you let out a sharp scream. The scream being the least of your problems, as you lost balance and fell into the water. The strange Walrein let out a panicked noise, and dove into the water after you.

Next thing you knew, you were on land, with your Pokemon trailing behind you, and a Walrein dragging you by your leg out of the lake.

"What did you do this time?" An older man's voice said - sounding incredibly  _done_  with his Pokemon's antics. Clearly, this wasn't a new occurrence.

The Walrein frantically flapped its flippers in some pitiful attempt to explain what had happened. You sat yourself up, completely soaked, and more than a little irritated.

"I'm sorry about him." The man said, walking past his Pokemon and over to you, extending a hand to help you up.

"It's okay." You replied. You nearly took his hand, but then you noticed that he was using a cane, and began to second think taking his assistance. The last thing you wanted was to somehow injure him. But he noticed that your hand was mostly extended, and took it upon himself to grab it and hoist you up." "Thanks."

"You're welcome..." He paused for a moment, just long enough to look at the Pokemon following you. "You're a trainer?"

"Yeah." You wanted to say more, but you were too busy trying to ring out your clothes while they were still on, and trying to dry out your hair.

"Hm... Perhaps you should challenge my gym. You might enjoy the challenge."

There wasn't any way you could stop your eyes from growing wide. "So you're..."  _Shit. Which one? Uh..._  "Pryce...? Right?"

He nodded, rather stoically. 

"I'm (Y/N)."

"Well, (Y/N), I hope to see you again. Please, consider my offer."

 

**【 Clair】**

When the egg you were given hatched, and you discovered you had a Gible (which are rather rare in the Johto Region) you were more than a little excited.

You had raised many Pokemon from eggs before, and figured that the Gible wouldn't be much more challenging than any of the others. But it didn't take you long to realize that you weren't anywhere near educated enough on the behavior of Gibles to effectively raise one. Especially not a reckless baby.

He seemed to enjoy hiding in tight spaces regardless of where you were, and would pounce on everyone who walked by. This was cute, for the first like  _twenty_  times. But when he started doing that in Pokemon centers or Poke Marts, and tackling poor innocent people, it was becoming more than a bit of a problem.

You didn't want to have to keep him in a Pokeball. You much preferred to have your Pokemon out walking with you. But this Gible was proving to be way too much of an issue to keep running free.

Somebody suggested you go see Clair, the dragon type gym leader in Blackthorn City. You were willing to try anything at that point, so you agreed to it.

When you met Clair, you were at a Pokemon Center, holding the squirming, round dragon in your arms. She giggled when she saw him - which was the exact  _opposite_  of what you were told she would be like. She approached you before you even had to say anything to her.

"A Gible?" She asked, leaning over so she was eye to eye with the Pokemon. "May I hold it?"

"Sure." You said, not hesitating to hand him to her. 

Instantly, it started chewing on her cape. "He's young, isn't he?"

"Very. He just hatched about a week ago." It was a struggle to hide how exhausted you were when explaining that. It had been a  _very_  long week.

"I can tell. Baby dragons are always trouble... How has it been raising him?"

"It's been uh..."  _Horrible_. "Pretty good... I mean, it's had its ups and downs, you know?"

"Oh trust me, I know." She pried the chubby Pokemon off of her cape, just for him to go and start trying to bite her ponytail.

"I actually had a question to ask you..." You began. Your complete exhaustion was fading and turning into anxiety. "I was wondering if you might be able to help me... It's been a pretty tough week, and I know I'm definitely not able to handle raising this little guy. But I  _want_  to. So I was thinking maybe you could teach me? About raising dragon types?"

"Sure. I'd love to have the opportunity to work with a Gible." She smiled, handing him back to you. "Why don't you stop by my gym tomorrow evening? We can get to work then... What's your name, anyway?"

"That works for me. And I'm (Y/N)." 

"I'll see you then!"

 

**【 Will】**

You were more than ready to face the Elite Four. You had been training for ages, you were stocked up on potions and full restores, and your team seemed as excited as you were. There was nothing that was going to hold you back.

Your heart was pounding as you entered the first room, your trusty (fave Pokemon) at your side.

"Welcome to the Pokemon league! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Will" A purple haired man said. He was surprisingly attract-  _no. Don't. That's not going to help at all_. You tied to shake the thought but you couldn't. In an attempt to ignore your own mind, you focused back in on what he had been saying. " - accepted into the Elite Four. I can only keep getting better! Losing is not an option!"

He sent out his first Pokemon, and you followed suit. "Let's see just how strong you are!"

His voice was making it incredibly hard to pay attention to battling. Whoever thought it was a good idea to put attractive people in the Elite Four was clearly not thinking it through.

The battle seemed to be going well. You were both down to your last Pokemon - his second Xatu, and your (fave Pokemon). His Xatu was in pretty rough shape, but it was putting up a pretty good fight. Or, maybe it was  _better_  than pretty good.

With one fell swoop, it struck your Pokemon with Aerial Ace, knocking it out on contact.

Your jaw dropped as you recalled your Pokemon. You didn't consider yourself a sore loser, for the most part, but this time you were seething with rage.

"You put up a very good fight." Will mentioned, recalling his Xatu.

"Well thanks. But it wasn't good enough." You replied. "... I want a rematch."

"Right now?"

"Let me go heal up my team. We're going to try this again."

_And this time, I won't be distracted by your face..._

At least, that's what you were hoping.

 

**【 Karen】**

Defeating the first three members of the Elite Four wasn't what you'd call "easy". But you weren't ready to admit it had been a  _real_  challenge. 

You used a full restore on your (fave Pokemon) and made your way into the fourth and final room. Standing there was a woman with pale slate hair, and piercing gunmetal eyes. She wasn't any more intimidating than the others - but definitely looked more striking. 

"I'm Karen, of the Elite Four. You're (Y/N), right?"

"Yep." You said with a nod. While you were interested in her introduction, you were getting pretty antsy.

"I'm known for my overpowering tactics... Think you can take them? Let's see."

Of course you thought you could take them.

But it seemed, as the battle played out, you thought wrong.

With your entire team down, you had no choice but to admit defeat. " _Shit_..." You muttered, recalling your final, fainted Pokemon.

"That was a pretty good battle." Karen said, approaching you, with her weary Umbreon slowly following behind.

You couldn't help but scoff. Still, you thanked her anyway.

"I mean it." She insisted. "You and your Pokemon make a pretty formidable team... I think if you train a little more and come back, you'll definitely be able to win." There was a small, but sincere smile on her face. 

"Thank you... And that's the plan. So don't think you've seen the last of me." You replied with a smirk.

"I'd definitely hope not."

You hoped with all of your heart that she couldn't see the blush forming on your cheeks.

 

**【 Lance】**

You weren't ready to challenge the Elite Four.

Well, team wise you were. Supply wise? Absolutely set.

What was holding you back was crippling anxiety.

Your friend had offered to challenge them, and let you watch the battles so you could know what you were in for. You agreed to that, incredibly thankful that your friend was willing to do that for  you. 

Even though you knew she was a good trainer, and she was aware of this herself, it was still a surprise to both of you that she managed to beat the entire Elite Four. Neither of you had really assumed that was going to happen, and even  _she_  was nervous when it came time to face the Champion, Lance.

"Hello!" He announced, right as the two of you walked into the room. "I am Lance. And you..." His confidence seemed to falter slightly. "... Which one of you am I going to be battling?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Me." Your friend said, taking a timid step forward.

"Yeah, I'm just here to watch." You added with a shrug.

"That's fine by me. What are your names?"

"I'm (F/N)." Your friend answered, her voice cracking slightly from nerves.

"And I'm (Y/N)."

"Well, it's nice to meet the both of you. (Y/N) - you can go take a seat over there." Lance instructed, giving  you a smile as he gestured towards the side lines. You whispered "good luck" to your friend before going and doing as Lance said.

Now, your friend was clearly a competent trainer, but Lance wasn't just a  _trainer_. He was a  _master_. Your friend tried her hardest, but perhaps she wasn't ready for his Dragonite, as it alone managed to knock out all of her team. You stood up and went over to her, giving her a hug when you noticed how absolutely crushed she looked. 

"You did good." Lance said, walking over to both of you. "My only suggestion is to teach one of your Pokemon a dragon, or ice type move. If you do that, there's a good chance you'd be able to beat me." 

Your friend nodded.

"As for you, (Y/N)..." The corners of his lips slowly curled into a smile. "I expect to see you as a challenger sometime in the near future too, okay?" 

"I think that can be arranged."

 

**【 Archer】**

You enjoyed wandering around Goldenrod City. It was the largest city in the Johto region, and there wasn't a day that went by without something interesting going on. It was a nice break from the rural towns and winding pathways through forests that you so often found yourself exploring. 

You were walking by the building which hosted the radio shows, and had the radio tower atop it, when you first saw him. The rather shady teal haired man. It was clear that he was up to no good, but interestingly enough he wasn't doing  _anything_  wrong. He was just standing there, as if he was waiting for something.

Now, you were beginning to get a strange feeling about him. It wasn't that you were afraid of him, or thought that he would hurt you. It was more like a vague form of deja vu. Like maybe you had seen his face somewhere before. 

And  _that's_  when you spotted it. The rather obvious "R" emblazoned on his shirt. He was a member of Team Rocket. Which could only mean things were going to go downhill very quickly if something wasn't done.

You decided to take matters into your own hands.

You approached him, trying to ignore the way your heart was pounding, how weak your knees were, and the way your breath was catching in your throat.

"Can I help you?" He asked - hardly looking over at you.

"I feel like I should be asking you that question." You replied. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I don't think that's any of your busi-"

"You're with Team Rocket, right?" You spat. There was no way you were going to accept him dodging your questions.

His eyes grew wide. "Shh! Keep it down, would you?" He looked around frantically, trying to see if anyone in the area had overheard. "Yes. Okay. I am." He explained, his voice turning into a frantic hiss, as he moved closer to you to avoid speaking too loud.

You tried to ignore the strange butterflies you got in your stomach when he stood that close to you. He was a  _criminal_. Not the kind of guy you should be feeling like that over... Right? "So how about you tell me what you're up to before I make a scene."

"Fine. You want to know? We're - " There was a beeping noise coming from his PokeGear. "Hold on..." He answered it. There was about a three second pause before he just said "on it" and hung up. He turned back to you, putting his face only centimeters away from your ear. "You're about to find out... But I think it would be best if you leave.. This might not be pretty."

Without hesitation, you thanked him for the warning and left. Was that the bravest thing to do? No. But sometimes safety comes first.

 

**【 Petrel】**

You were at the Goldenrod City Game Corner with a few of your friends trying to kill some time while another one of your friends was at the gym, trying their hardest to beat Whitney. It was roughly their 7th try, and you had all given up sitting in the gym waiting. Because it was starting to get painful to watch.

So instead you sat there, betting on Voltorb Flip.

After a while, a purple haired man came in and called over the man dealing the cards. He whispered something to him, and the dealer nodded and went to go sit down in his seat, like nothing ever happened.

"My name is Petrel. I've received an order from my superior, and I'm relaying this information on behalf of team Rocket. You are all to stay right here, in this building, until you are instructed otherwise. The city is going under lockdown." The purple haired man, now known as Petrel said.

One of your friends almost instantly burst into tears, while your other began panicking and muttering to you and the dealer asking about how to handle the situation. You on the other hand? You weren't entirely willing to comply.

"Seriously? What good is keeping us here going to do?" You asked, getting to your feet and approaching the man, trying your hardest to pretend that you weren't just as afraid as everyone else.

He shrugged. "Hey, I'm just taking orders, okay?"

An idea struck you. "Really? Huh.. So... Why are you enforcing this if you don't even know  _why_  you have to?"

He stammered slightly.

"I mean, think about it, dude. We're not the people you've gotta worry about. There are  _much_  stronger trainers here. A bunch of people wasting money betting on a stupid game to win a Dratini?  _We're_  who you're worried about?"

He rubbed his temples as he seemed to mull over what you just said. "Fine." He finally said with a sigh. "I guess you guys can go... Just, do me a favor and make sure you wait until I'm a good distance from here? Please? I don't want them to think I let you escape."

"Isn't that exactly what you're doing though?" You smirked.

"Yeah, yeah... You're lucky you're cute." He muttered as he left the building.

Your friends instantly started snickering. 

_God. Damn. Him._

 

**【 Proton】**

You had met a trainer named Lyra at the Pokemon Center in Violet City, and the two of you hit it off instantly.

She had agreed to let you travel with her, and for the most part you were both having a pretty good adventure. 

Things didn't take a turn for the worse until you came across a man selling Slowpoke tails for ridiculous prices. It was strange, and disturbing, but it wasn't the absolute  _worst_  thing you could have come across. But unfortunately things went even further downhill when you discovered that Team Rocket was in Slowpoke well, cutting the tails off of all the Slowpokes they could get their hands on.

You and Lyra quickly decided to put a stop to it.

And with the both of you, taking on Team Rocket was like a walk in the park.

Right up until you met Executive Proton. 

"You know... I am often labelled as the cruelest member of Team Rocket. So I'd-"

"Cruelest?" You interrupted him, without a second thought. "You think? You're severing the tails off of Slowpokes! That's seriously fucked up!" 

"Well... Yes... But that's sort of-"

"I don't even want to hear it." You spat. "Like, I get wanting money. I get that. But  _seriously_? You are crossing  _so_ many lines here."

"I-"

"Look, either shut the fuck up and leave, or let's battle it out. I really don't even want to hear an explanation."

The confused look on his face was almost cute.  _Almost_. 

So, as you suggested, the two of you battled it out while Lyra held off other team members. 

You had to admit, you weren't sure you'd win. But when you did, you weren't going to let on that you were surprised.

"Hm... I didn't see that coming..." Proton muttered. "You know, I don't appreciate you interfering with our work. But, I can appreciate your spunk."


	2. Seeing Them Again

【Ethan】

Azalea town was a sleepy little settlement, and aside from the Pokemon Gym not much of anything seemed to be going on there. Of course, after your less than ideal trek through the Ilex forest, you couldn't complain about that. It was relaxing, and that's exactly what you and your Pokemon needed. But before you could sit back and finally rest, you needed to head to the Pokemon Center and get your team healed.

After handing them over to Nurse Joy, you went to take a seat. Given the state all of them were in it would be best for them to take some extra time and make sure that absolutely nothing was wrong. Which bought you an indefinite amount of spare time that you were going to spend keeping your weight off of your aching feet.

Sitting in the Pokemon Center, you realized pretty quickly that there weren't many other trainers there. Typically those places were teeming with people eager to talk about their adventures, but this one was pretty dead in comparison. You were just about to give up before you spotted a familiar face looking straight back at you. It was unmistakably the boy you met in the forest who helped heal your beloved Pokemon

His face lit up when he saw yours, and he made his way over to you. "Hey! I was wondering if that was you sitting there. Mind if I join?"

"Go ahead." You grinned, as the boy sat down on one of the chairs.

"Thanks! Y'know, I never got your name."

"(Y/N). What's yours?"

"Ethan." The name seemed to suit him. "So, uh... Your Pokemon made it here okay, right?"

"Yeah! Fortunately. Thanks to you."

He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "It wasn't a problem. No Pokemon should have to suffer like that. No need to keep thanking me."

"All I was looking for was an antidote and you gave up a full restore. That's worth thanking you for."

"Y-"

"You're getting thanked again whether you wanna be or not."

He laughed, charcoal eyes shining bright. "I guess that's fair."

"(Y/N)!" Nurse Joy's familiar voice rang out throughout the Center. "Your Pokemon are all set!"

"You should probably go grab them. But uh... What are you gonna be doing later? I'm gonna be hanging around here for a while and I don't really know anyone around here, so..."

"I don't have anything going on." You smiled. "After I get my Pokemon, I'm free."

"Sweet."

 

【Kris】

You were exploring Route 45, just outside Blackthorn City, taking extra care not to accidentally wander too far down the path knowing that if you did you'd be stuck taking the long way back into the city. Although that was clearly a risk you were willing to take to discover all the Pokemon that called that particular area home. So far you had encountered more Geodudes and Gravlers than you cared to count, and one Skarmory that seemed more interested in sleeping up in a tree than battling you. But you knew there were more to be found, it was just a matter of diligence.

In the midst of your searches, you heard a strained grunt - definitely human, which only served to raise more questions. You looked to the direction it came from, just to find a blue haired girl straining to pull herself back up one of the nearby ledges. She seemed familiar, but you figured you could try to identify her after you helped her with her situation.

You made your way over to her, across the wooden bridge that separated you from the roaring waters below, stopping just a step away from where she was.

"Hey," You began, reaching out your hand and leaning over slightly. "Need some help?"

The girl looked up at you - a look of realization flashed across her face before she lost her grip and fell back onto the lower ground. Her disgruntled expression rang a bell.

It was Kris.

You wanted to be excited about seeing her again, but instead you were struck with a feeling of guilt and mortification that was reminiscent of the last time you met her. "Oh, Arceus." You grumbled. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Wasn't your fault." She giggled, getting to her feet. "I was just surprised to see you."

"Yeah, well I'm apologizing anyway." You laughed - partly out of relief that she didn't decide to blame you for startling her. "So far both times I've seen you something's gone wrong for you."

"Yeah, well," she repeated your words with seemingly stronger intentions. "I shouldn't have been trying to climb back up. I just didn't want to have to go the long way back around. I knew this would be a problem, but... Ugh." She rubbed at her temples.

"I mean, I'm willing to help you." You were almost confused about her distress.

You reached a hand down, which she promptly grabbed. With a little bit of effort and what felt like a potential pulled muscle, you managed to hoist her up onto the higher level of the pathway.

"Thank you so much." Her cheeks were flushed - either from the strain of the climb, or... some other cause... You doubted the second option, and quickly discarded it to the back recesses of your mind where it could be buried by other more likely hopes and dreams.

"Not a problem." You grinned. "It's the least I can do after pelting you with mud."

"If you're still looking to make up for that, can I ask you for a little more help?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

"I'm trying to complete the Pokedex and I've been searching for a Skarmory all day and I haven't had any luck and-"

You could feel your face light up. "I think I can help you with that."

 

【Lyra】

You never cared about the Pokeathelon, but knowing that Lyra was going to be there actually made you almost excited to be there.

The "almost" in that sentence was important, you insisted.

Your friend was calling you a liar, but you knew better than to argue with her over that. The more adamant you were that you weren't that excited, the more she'd insist you were until you either gave up and agreed, or she grew bored and decided to move on to other, more interesting topics. So you just ignored each and every one of her comments about how she "knew you'd wind up liking the Pokeathelon", and evaded any prying questions about if it was Lyra that "finally got you interested". And you had to say, it was going pretty well until you saw a familiar chestnut haired girl waving at you.

You waved back, completely oblivious to your friend's rambling until she loudly gasped and said "I'm right, aren't I?!"

"Hm?" You turned to your friend, hardly registering a word she was saying.

She simply laughed and shook her head as Lyra came bounding over to the both of you.

"Hey! I was hoping I'd see you here." Lyra beamed, adjusting her hat. "Are either of you competing?"

"I am!" Your friend said proudly - gears seeming to turn in her eyes before they grew wide. "I need to go check in!"

With that, she darted off leaving you and Lyra standing there alone. "So uh... Are you competing?" You asked her, in hopes of preventing any uncomfortable silences.

"Nah, not today. I'm here supporting my friend Whitney." She shrugged. "I was actually going to go find a seat. You can join me if you want."

Was there any way you could refuse that offer? "Yeah, I'd be up for that."

Good. Casual. Normal.

"Awesome!"

She began to lead you to the bleachers, and you followed, legs so unsteady you nearly tripped over your own feet.

Lyra seemed to hear the noise, turning to face you with a concerned expression. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine."

Smooth.

 

【Silver】

"You lost or something?"

You cringed at the familiar voice.

After hours of aimlessly wandering the Ilex forest, the last person you wanted to see was standing right in front of you. Though he wasn't smirking, and his eyes showed no hint of a smile, something about his expression just struck you as so unbelievably smug.

"Does it matter?"

And then the smirk appeared on his face. "I'll take that as a yes."

You grumbled profanities under your breath. "And you care why?"

He scoffed. "Look if you're gonna keep being a bitch I can just leave you."

"Wait, what?"

"Don't make me repeat it."

You were confused. No, that was an understatement. You were far beyond confused.

"Are you offering to help me?"

He shrugged. "Depends. Do you uh... Do you have any potions?"

You peered into your bag to confirm that you still had several on hand. "Yeah, why?"

"I didn't get to buy any at the last Poke Mart. Thank you for that, by the way." He spat. "So, if you can help me keep my Pokemon healed, I can get you out of here."

You thought on it for a second. You did need to get out of the forest, and you were aiming to get that done before the sun went down. But at the same time, you weren't too thrilled at the idea of being stuck with the red haired boy. But... You sighed in defeat. "That sounds like a fair trade."

"Yeah, I thought so." The tone of his voice was enough to make you want to punch him square in the mouth, but you refrained from doing so. "Now, heal my Pokemon."

Your mouth twisted into a frown. You did agree to help him, but the way he asked for that help was making it pretty difficult to keep your word. Still, his Pokemon didn't deserve to suffer for their trainer's obnoxious personality. "Alright, fine. Let me see them."

He released them from their Poke balls, and you quickly realized that they were in horrible shape. You had to wonder if he had healed them at all since entering the forest. But you kept your mouth shut and pulled a few potions from your bag. You sprayed it on the creatures' wounds, trying your best to ignore their cries at the sting of the medicine. "You'll thank me later." You whispered to one of them - a small Zubat that was so injured it could hardly move one of its wings. It shrieked in response, earning a cringe from both Silver and yourself.

"Ugh. Sorry about him. He's got a major attitude problem."

"Guess he takes after his trainer a bit, huh?"

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

 

【Professor Elm】

It was the day you planned on leaving New Bark Town, where you had been staying at a kind woman's house while her daughter was off on an adventure. You weren't sure where you were going from there, but you were sure it would be entertaining. You could go back to helping out Professor Oak, or begin a journey throughout the Johto region. Or maybe something entirely different. There were countless options, and they all seemed equally tempting.

You were packing the last of your things, and saying your goodbyes, when there was a knock on the door. The woman wasn't home, which left you in charge of answering. Which you weren't too thrilled about, frankly. You didn't know any of this woman's friends (if she even had any - the woman didn't seem to have much of a life outside of shopping and calling her daughter) and you hadn't been warned about any company. Every possible scenario about answering the door played out in your head, and each was more horrifically awkward than the last. But you had no choice, because the person knocked again and whoever it was didn't strike you as too keen on leaving without talking to someone.

Hesitantly, you opened the door.

And much to your relief, you weren't face to face with a stranger.

Professor Elm was standing there, looking slightly more disheveled than the last time you saw him. "Oh good, (Y/N)!" His face lit up upon seeing you. "I was hoping you hadn't left yet!"

"Hey, professor. Uh..." You tried to find your words, but you were slightly too confused to manage that.

"I have a favor to ask of you." He explained. "As you know I'm trying to do some in depth research on the evolution of Eevee. Er, emphasis on the trying part. See, it's not going very well. Sure there's the few Eeveelutions that evolve from exposure to stones and such, but a majority of them don't."

You could feel your eyes beginning to glaze over. He really had a way with words... Not necessarily a "good" way. You were starting to wonder if he was even stopping to breathe.

"And it appears that several of the Eevee already bonded to you." He continued anxiously running his fingers through his unkempt hair. "I mean, I don't know for sure. I'm no mind reader or anything, and I don't speak Pokemon, but they got depressed after you left and they seem to be looking for you. And certain evolutions can only occur when they're happy."

"So, uh..." Piecing together his rambling was a chore, but you were pretty sure you got the gist of what he was saying. "You want me to stick around and help with your research?"

His face was flushed, a sheepish grin spread across it. "If you wouldn't mind."

Sticking around wasn't your plan. Not in the least. But the professor was somewhat charming in his awkward sort of way, and helping out could be a pretty fun experience. If not, at least you'd learn something.

"I wouldn't mind at all."

 

【Falkner】

You were waiting by the door to the gym - a strange mixture of emotions churning in your chest.

On one hand, you were giddy and impatient. You desired an answer to whether or not you could battle the gym leader as quickly as possible. You had done enough waiting and you desperately wanted the chance to prove yourself and get to work collecting the Johto region's badges.

On the other hand, you dreaded Falkner's return, because with him could come bad news. You feared that you'd be told you were out of luck, and that seeing as you didn't complete Sprout Tower, you'd be unable to challenge this gym, thus barring you from challenging any of the others.

But that was just another part of the reason you were so desperate to get this over with. The tension was becoming unbearable, and the sooner it ended the sooner you could finally relax.

And at long last you saw the blue haired boy returning, causing all of those conflicting emotions to amplify. You were on the verge of hyperventilating, and it was taking everything in your power to avoid letting on to that little fact.

Much to your relief, he spoke first. "I called my dad and explained your uh... Situation... He said that he's okay with making an exception for you. Freak accidents like that shouldn't stop you from getting to live your dreams... There is one stipulation though."

You nodded, prepared for whatever he was going to say.

"We have to battle on the ground. It's not that my dad and I don't trust you, or anything. It's just... I don't really want to take that risk." He chuckled slightly.

You couldn't help but laugh. "Y'know, I'd say that's fair. After doing this for me you don't really deserve any broken bones anyway."

"There's something really unsettling about the way you said that." He cocked a skeptical brow. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Your eyes grew wide and your cheeks grew hot. "What!? No!" You said through nervous giggles, frantically trying to regain your composure.

"Yeah, sure." He gave a suspicious nod.

"I mean it!"

"Should I tell the gym guide to have an ambulance ready?"

 

【Bugsy】

The Azalea Gym had finally closed for the night. The stars were out, and the cries of Hoothoot and Zubat could be heard echoing throughout the nearby forest. It was oddly peaceful - far less creepy than you had anticipated. Of course, the company of your Pokemon, and that of the local Slowpoke, helped ease any nerves you may have had.

You made your way to the gym, through the moonlit town, prepared for your battle. Assuming Bugsy remembered. You were worried he might not have. But then again it might be pretty hard to forget the trainer who absolutely refused to go along with your gym's gimmick. Fortunately, you didn't have to concern yourself with that thought much longer. As soon as the gym came into view, you could see the lavender haired boy waiting for you, standing by the door. Even from a distance you could see his eyes light up when he noticed you. Perhaps that was because he was worried you wouldn't show.

"Hey! You made it!" He grinned, his voice startling some Pokemon, evident by the sounds of scampering in the woods.

"What, did you expect me to bail or something?" You asked with a bit of a laugh.

"No! No, that's not..." Even in the dim light, you could see that his face had turned crimson.

"I know, I'm just giving you a hard time." You beamed. "Seriously though, thanks for letting me battle you out here. Your gym just... Doesn't seem safe."

"It's perfectly safe!" He insisted. "We have it inspected every month."

"Somehow, I'm still not sold."

He pouted slightly. "Are you always this stubborn?"

"Depends." You said with a shrug. "So, are we doing this, or what?"

"I'm ready if you're ready." He grabbed a Pokeball, hand prepared to release the creature within.

"Then let's do this."

 

【Whitney】

The Goldenrod Radio Tower wasn't the most thrilling place - certainly not the one you had planned on visiting that particular day. But it was the only place in the region to get a radio card for your Pokegear, and you desperately needed one. So you made a willing sacrifice of your time, ambling into the building one afternoon, feet slightly blistered from the shoes you bought just the day before.

Much to your surprise, a familiar figure was standing at the front desk, a pensive pout on her face, fingers tapping on the wooden surface. You tried to suppress a smile. Even though you had only encountered her once before, you had to admit she was adorable, and you had been hoping you'd run into her again. Of course, you could have stopped in at the gym and battled her, but that would be different. You would have preferred a chance to talk to her outside of that situation, where you two could actually hold a conversation.

But this still didn't seem like the time, because you had no interest in sticking around the Radio Tower any longer than necessary, and she seemed to be frustrated about something. Something you'd figure out very shortly, as her gaze turned from the woman behind the desk to you upon your approach.

"Oh! Hi! (Y/N), right?"

A wide grin found its way to your face. "Yeah! Whitney?"

She nodded, eyes sparkling. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I'm gonna try and get my hands on a radio card. What about you?"

"Same here!" Her face shifted from delight back to the pout she was wearing when you approached. "But there's a quiz and I can't remember the answer to one of the questions."

You weren't too sure of your capabilities, but you opened your mouth before you thought anything else through. "I might be able to help. What's the question?"

"Does Kurt, the Poke Ball creator, use apricots as ingredients?"

You cocked your brow at the question, clearly worded to try and throw somebody off. "Apricorns. He uses Apricorns. So, no."

Whitney turned her attention to the woman at the front desk, repeating your answer of "no."

"Yep." The woman said, obviously not bothered by the blatant cheating. "Two more questions. Next: Is it impossible to use a TM on a Magikarp?"

Whitney looked back over at you, batting her eyelashes. You smirked slightly. "I feel like you're expecting something."

"Pleeease?" She asked - or perhaps "begged" would be a more appropriate term. "I'll buy you lunch or something."

"Sold." You replied with little delay. "And the answer to the question is yes."

 

【Morty】

You couldn't resist going back to Bellchime trail the next Tuesday.

Because it was beautiful, of course. Not because you were hoping to see Morty again. The fact that you went on the day he was going to be there was a mere coincidence.

At least, that's the story you kept telling yourself, despite a good portion of it being a lie.

The worst part was that you couldn't even stick to the lie once you arrived. The moment you laid eyes on the blond haired man you felt a smile forming on your face, whether you wanted it to or not. You were thrilled to see he was there, your ulterior motive becoming plain as day. Though perhaps that was just to yourself, for when Morty saw you he didn't have a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. Instead, he appeared almost surprised that you decided to show up.

"Hey." He said, shocked expression shifting into a smile. "Look who showed up. How have you been?"

"Hi." You replied, struggling to find the response to the latter part of his greeting. In all honesty you had been fairly bored in the week leading up to your return, with your mind constantly circling back around to your desire to see Morty - er, the Bellchime Trail - again. "I've been alright. Kinda bored. I've been training a lot but that's about it."

"Oh yeah?" He cocked a brow. "Are you thinking of challenging the gym?"

You shrugged, almost hesitant to admit that was the primary reason you were devoting extra time to helping your Pokemon get stronger, although that was a thing plenty of people did, and there was absolutely nothing strange about it, "I'm considering it." You responded, a hint of playful snark surfacing in your voice.

"Considering? What's stopping you?" 

"I dunno. I'm just not sure if I'm ready yet. I don't want to walk in there and embarrass myself."

He paused, seemingly lost in thought, before speaking up again. "Maybe if you're free tomorrow I can help you out with your training."

An unusual sort of giddiness was welling up in your chest. "I'd be up for that."

A grin almost as wide as your own was plastered on his face. "I'm glad."

 

【Chuck】

You were unsure about calling Chuck and asking for a rematch. The first battle with him was a struggle, though you came out on top, and you weren't positive that you would be able to repeat that victory. Even though you had defeated higher ranking gym leaders, there was still something particularly intimidating about Chuck. Perhaps that's because he was the sort of man to sit under a roaring waterfall. That's not the sign of a rational individual.

But for some reason, that didn't stop you from dialing his number. 

"Hello?!" His familiar voice boomed from the other end of the line.

"Hey! Chuck?"

"Oh! Hey, (Y/N)! Sorry for shouting!" Despite his apology his volume didn't lower be even the smallest fraction of a decibel.

"It's all good." You giggled. "I was wondering if you wanted to battle again."

"Alright!" You weren't able to see him, but given his tone you'd assume he was smiling. "I'll be waiting over at the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City!"

"Sweet. I'll see you there!" You beamed before hanging up.

Without a moment's delay you grabbed your trustiest flying Pokemon, and left to head to the Fighting Dojo.

And you landed a short time later, face flushed with messy, windblown hair and legs still slightly shaking from the adrenaline.

Chuck was waiting outside the dojo, surprisingly dry compared to the last time you had seen him. His face seemed to light up the moment he saw you - and given how eager you had become over the course of the flight to battle him again, yours did about the same.

"Hey! How have you been?!" 

It was hard to tell if he was just constantly enthusiastic, or if his hearing had been damaged from the noise of the waterfall. Both struck you as likely.

"I've been good. You?"

"Great to hear! I've been good, too! I was starting to wonder if I'd ever hear from you." He laughed, but something about his remark seemed sincere.

"I've been getting stronger. I didn't want to risk you beating me during our rematch." You couldn't fight a cheeky grin.

"You think I'm a challenge then, huh?!" He chuckled. "You should know better than to let your opponent know you're afraid!"

You crossed your arms, giving him a smirk laced with feigned smugness. "Who said I was afraid? Maybe I just don't want to lose my winning streak."

"I like your attitude!" He placed a hand on your upper back, and began to lead you into the Dojo. "But let's see if that's gonna help you beat me again."

 

【Jasmine】

It wasn't too difficult to get your hands on the medicine for Amphy, but that didn't change how horribly stressful the whole situation was. The well being of the Ampharos in the lighthouse was entirely your responsibility, and that was more pressure than you wanted to be under.

So you moved as quickly as possible, making your way back to the lighthouse before there was an even higher chance of the Pokemon dying.

And once you made your way to the top where the Ampharos was resting, with Jasmine by its side, you were only slightly relieved. The Pokemon was in worse shape than when you left, unable to hold its head up on its own. Given the full bowl of water near it, it was also likely that the poor creature wasn't even able to take in any fluids. 

You wondered for a moment if the medicine you picked up would even do anything for Amphy. But Jasmine seemed to believe so still, with the way her face seemed to light up when you arrived. It was only a brief flicker of joy in her eyes before she shifted back to her reserved demeanor, and turned her attention back to the sickly creature before her, but it was enough to prove to you that there was some remaining days of hope. 

"Thank you." Jasmine said, stroking behind the Ampharos' ear. "May I see the medicine?"

Without a moment's delay, you handed it over to her. She tilted Amphy's head up, its mouth falling slack as its head was lifted. It was clear that Jasmine was trying to avoid showing her distress, but failing. With trembling hands she put the medicine in Amphy's mouth, and the Pokemon reluctantly swallowed.

"How long do you think it will take to start working?"

"I... I don't know." 

You hesitated, before speaking up again. "Would you mind if I wait with you?"

She smiled slightly. "I'd appreciate that."

 

【Pryce】

You were far too giddy to be at the Mahogany gym. Pryce had promised you a challenge the other day at the lake, and you were looking forward to it. You were planning on going up against him at some point, but running into him inspired you to do it far sooner than you were planning.

At first you were worried you might not be strong enough to beat him, but you knew you couldn't put it off. And if you lost to him? It would be a lesson. You'd figure out where you went wrong and try again.

But the trainers in his gym weren't that difficult to beat, and you started wondering if it was going to be as tough as you anticipated. Perhaps you overestimated Pryce and his gym. Or you underestimated yourself. Both were likely, but with the amount you were training before you went into face him, you felt it was the latter.

"You came." Pryce said, once you were finally standing in front of him, ready to battle. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't."

"Why not?" You asked, admittedly curious. 

"I wasn't sure if you were prepared." He remarked, the knowing look in his eye hinting that he was trying to strike a nerve. Trying to get some sort of fire burning in you, to make you more eager to battle, or perhaps to make you doubt yourself. But he was up to something. That much you could be sure of.

"I did a little brushing up," You explained, not wanting to come off as overly cocky, "but I think I'm finally ready."

"Hmm..." He smirked slightly. "I suppose we'll see about that."

"I suppose you're right."

And without any further delays, you both released your Pokemon.

And perhaps that wasn't in your best interest, as you wound up losing. It was close, but your Pokemon missed its most necessary move, giving Pryce's Piloswine the perfect chance to strike, knocking your Pokemon unconscious and granting him the victory.

"You've got promise." The gym leader said, calling his Pokemon back to him. "Have you ever considered a mentor?"

 

【Clair】

Clair struck you as surprisingly friendly the first time you met her. You even had to wonder what earned her her reputation.

But at your second meeting, that was all cleared up. She was a Type A personality, so to speak. Direct, and occasionally aggressive, highly competitive with a notably short fuse. It was intimidating, but as you watched her work with your Gible, you began to see how all those traits played a helping hand in giving her such a way with the fierce (and fiercely stubborn) creature.

She was much less tolerant of its antics than you were - behaviors that you would have laughed off, she noted were going to become major problems as it aged and grew stronger. And all the issues you were aware of and couldn't seem to train out of him? She knew just the trick.

Or at least, for almost all of the issues. She still couldn't seem to figure out how to get him to stop hiding in tight spaces and lunging at anything that walked by.

"I don't get it." She said, about half way through your Gible's first training session with her. "I can usually help them overcome their destructive instincts but,,, This thing... He's..." She sighed heavily, massaging her temples.

"A menace?" You suggested, holding the heavy, squirming dragon in your arms.

"I didn't want to say that." Clair giggled, a small smile forming on her otherwise tense face. "But yeah. 'Menace' is a fitting word."

"Yeah." You replied with a pensive frown. "Tell me about it."

"I'm going to have to read up on them a little more. But I'm sure we can figure out what to do about it." She reached over and gently scratched his head. "I have a feeling the three of us are going to be spending a lot of time together."

"I have a feeling you're right."

And you desperately hoped that she was.

 

【Will】

You were seated in the entrance area of the Pokemon League, Your eyes were heavy, and you knew that if the trainer that just entered didn't finish up with their battles soon, you'd be better off just going and taking a nap instead of trying to challenge the elite four again. Hell, you might not have even been able to handle battling them at all at that particular moment. Sleep deprivation was a surefire way to make sure you lose.

Just as your mind began to slip off into a dream, you were jolted awake by the sound of a door opening. 

Out walked a rather forlorn looking trainer, her eyes misty with tears as she made her way out of the League, her defeat horribly evident in everything from her expression to the way she moved. There was a brief moment where pity tugged at your heart, but it was quickly replaced by the realization that you were, at last, able to go in to battle.

"Sorry," The security guard said once you approached the door. "The Elite Four are taking their scheduled dinner breaks. They will be back shortly."

Frowning, you trudged back to your seat, and resumed your wait. 

After just a few more seconds, the door opened again, revealing Will's familiar, masked face. You tried to ignore the fluttering in your chest at the sight of him. In fact, you decided that the best course of action was to simply ignore him altogether. Which was slightly harder than you anticipated, given the fact that he recognized you instantly.

"There you are." He said, a small smile gracing his lips. "I've been waiting for that rematch."

"Turns out there was a bit of a line." You replied with a shrug, trying to act like you weren't dying of boredom after three other trainers took on the challenge.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you made it farther than one of them." His tone was playful, far different than the one he spoke in during your battle. 

"Really?" You feigned a starry eyed expression, voice laced with faux joy. "That's amazing! I've never been so proud of myself!"

"I thought you might want to hear that." He snickered. There was a brief pause before he added, "Have you even had anything to eat out here?"

"Some snacks." It wasn't a lie - you had a few small snacks packed in your bag. But they were far from filling.

"Snacks, huh?" He cocked his head pensively. "Sounds filling."

"Thoroughly." Your sarcasm was almost painfully obvious.

"Come on," Will grinned, taking a step towards the door. "Let's get you something to eat."

 

【Karen】

You had spent the last three days training nonstop for your rematch with Karen. Not for your rematch with Will, or your potential battles with Koga and Bruno, or even Lance. Sure, beating them would be nice, but your main priority was proving to Karen that you were capable of winning a battle against her. You wanted your next confrontation to be so remarkable that it would stick with her for months, maybe even years to come. You wanted her to remember who you were.

It was stupid, you told yourself, to be that hung up on impressing her. But that didn't stop you from trying.

And when you showed up ready to challenge her again, and her lips curled into a smile. you were almost positive that you were going to have more luck this time around.

"Glad to see you came back." She said, not sparing even a second before taking her first Poke ball in her hand. "Have you practiced more?"

You nodded, following her lead and readying a Poke ball. "I think I might actually pose a challenge this time." 

"You did before." She replied, voice oddly reassuring. "But I'd like to see you make it past me."

"Then let's get to this."

The battle was exhausting - not just for your Pokemon but for you. You were hyper aware of every single move, every attack, every possible counter, and you were wracking your mind trying to make sure everything would turn out right, and to avoid disaster.

And although you were sweating, with trembling knees, you managed to secure the victory.

"Well, aren't you good." Karen recalled her fainted Pokemon. "Though I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed."

"Why's that?"

"I might not get to see you again."

 

【Lance】

After seeing your friend's defeat during her battle with Lance, one might assume that you'd be even more nervous to go up against him. But you had observed the way he fought, and made note of all the mistakes made on either side of the battle. And because of that, you had a pretty good idea what you needed to do to win against him.

So when you arrived at the Pokemon League, you had managed to set aside all anxiety and nerves, and were at long last confident in your ability to win.

And just as you expected, you were able to make it through the Elite Four with no real struggle. 

Which is only part of the reason that by the time you entered the chamber to face Lance, your head was held high and any last traces of doubts left well behind you.

"(Y/N)!" The Champion beamed at the sight of you, causing you to stop suddenly in your tracks. Of all the things you expected, him remembering you at all, let alone by name, wasn't among them. "I've been waiting for you. I figured you'd decide to challenge me."

"Really?" You wanted to give him a better answer, but you were still in a state of shock.

"Absolutely. You have a certain fire in your eyes."

You felt your face heat up at his comment, and despite your best efforts, you smiled. "Thank you."

"Simply being honest." The grin on his face was gentle - surprising given how powerful his demeanor was. "Now, shall we?"

You nodded, and the battle commenced.

The battle which lasted far longer than many do, and ended with Lance having only one Pokemon left, and your team finally falling.

You couldn't even be disappointed. Despite having higher expectations of yourself, you realized pretty quickly that you were dealing with someone far stronger than anyone you ever encountered. And you? You were almost a worthy adversary.

"You've got skill." He stated, approaching you after your lost. "Perhaps I could give you some tips, sometime."

 

【Archer】

Team Rocket's master plan had failed, and were run out of Goldenrod City. And you couldn't say you were surprised by that in the least.

What you were surprised about was the familiar blue haired man walking down the path towards you. You'd only ever seen him once before, and you assumed it was going to be the last time as well. If you were him, you would have packed up and left the region by then. But he clearly hadn't, and worse, he recognized you, staring at you with an expectant expression. Whether he was waiting for you to mock him for his failed plan, or thank him for telling you to leave the city before the attack, you couldn't be sure. But you weren't going to stay quiet.

"Look who it is." You said, stopping directly in front of him."I heard about what happened in Goldenrod."

"And?" He arched a brow, awaiting whatever reaction you'd have.

You paused, trying to figure out exactly what you were going to say to him. On one hand, most people would have probably wanted you to berate him for what he'd done. But on the other hand, he really did do you a favor by getting you out of what could have been an incredibly messy situation. Finally, you settled on a response. "And I still don't get why you did it."

He sighed, averting his gaze. "It doesn't really matter much now. What matters is I have failed, and Team Rocket has been disbanded. This isn't going to be yours, or anyone else's problem again."

"If it doesn't matter, then why won't you tell me?"

He hesitated, before lowering his head slightly in defeat. "I suppose you're right... But it's a very long story."

"I've got time."

 

【Petrel】

Of all the people you could have run into at the Ecruteak Pokemon Center, the purple haired member of Team Rocket was the last one you'd have guessed. 

But word was spreading fast about what happened in Goldenrod, and the news had just broke that Team Rocket had been defeated. Which would explain a lot - from his disgruntled expression, to the fact that he hardly seemed to notice you as he walked up to the counter to heal his Pokemon. 

You felt the urge to go talk to him, but what was there to discuss? The only interaction you two had was him allowing you and your friends to get out of Goldenrod's Game Corner instead of staying there as hostages. And that was a very awkward conversation starter. 

Your eyes caught his as he glanced over at you, and you gave him a faint smile - an ever so slight turn of the side of your lip, just enough to say that you acknowledged him. But you weren't going to approach him. If he wanted anything to do with you, he could come talk to you himself.

Which he did, without a moment's hesitation. 

"Hey," He said, nonchalantly sitting down beside you on one of the many sofas in the lobby. Though his voice was casual as ever, there was a certain melancholy tone to it.

"Hey." You replied, adjusting your position so you were facing him. "How'd the whole Goldenrod thing go?"

You already knew the answer, but for conversation's sake you'd pretend you didn't.

He scoffed, expression quickly shifting to a smirk. "I'll let you take a guess."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say 'not well'."

"And we have a winner!" He laughed - sounding more exasperated than amused. "It was a disaster."

"That bad?"

"You have no idea."

That was true. You didn't. But given his obvious eagerness to talk to you, you had a feeling you were going to soon.

 

【Proton】

Proton still made you sick. The very thought of what he was doing to those Slowpoke a while back made you sick.

Unfortunately, you had bigger issues to deal with. For example, the fact that you were standing right in the entryway of the Goldenrod Radio tower when Team Rocket came storming in to take it over. 

Everything was a blur. There was pushing and shoving, and people running in every direction.

The only thing in particular you could pick up on was Proton's arrival, and the way his eyes locked onto you almost instantly. He remembered you, you figured, as he made a beeline towards you in the mayhem. Clearly, he wasn't too happy about his loss back in Slowpoke Well, and with everything going on, you began to fear that he was going to harm you.

He reached forward, grabbing your arm. You resisted, but he proved to be quite strong as he dragged you towards the door of the building. You continued trying to break free of his grip, but the more you struggled the tighter it grew. 

He paused, after one particularly aggressive pull, and leaned over, mouth hardly inches from your ear. "Would you stop resisting?" He hissed. "I'm trying to help you."

"Do you really think I'm gonna believe that? That you of all people want to help me?"

"Look, that doesn't matter right now. We can deal with that later. But right now, cooperate."

Before you could process even another word, you were thrown out the door of the radio tower and onto the street. The empty, comparatively safe street.


End file.
